This invention relates to a composition for imparting both flame resistance and water repellency to textiles, particularly non-woven textiles. This invention particularly relates to a composition for imparting to a textile both: a flame resistance which satisfies the Children's Sleepwear Flammability Standard for test DOC-FF-3-71 of the U.S. Commerce Department; and, at the same time, a sufficient water repellency to hold a 41/2 inch head of an aqueous, 0.9% sodium chloride solution against a glass plate for at least one hour without wetting through.
Compositions and processes for making textiles flame resistant are well known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,620,797, 3,333,470 and 3,676,389. The use of flame-retardant materials, incorporated into binder materials for producing non-woven fabrics, is known as an important means for dealing with the flammability of non-woven fabrics. See, in this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,409, wherein non-woven fabrics are treated with a flame retardant material (antimony trioxide) combined with a fire retardant binder material (polyvinylidene chloride), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,579, wherein non-woven fabrics are treated with a flame retardant material (an ammonium polyphosphate) combined with a binder material (an ethylene/vinyl chloride interpolymer) to provide a flame resistant, non-woven fabric.
However, the flame resistant textiles produced by such processes have had a relatively low level of water repellency. As a result, from the standpoint of water repellency, such flame resistant textiles have been completely unsatisfactory for many uses.
For example, flame resistant textiles have not been well suited for use in hospital garments, particularly in garments worn in hospital operating rooms. The flame retardant chemicals used in such textiles have promoted, rather than retarded, the wetting of the textiles. Because of this, such textiles have tended to absorb rather than repel moisture. The absorbed moisture has permitted infectious organisms to penetrate into and to pass through the wetted textiles. This has greatly increased the risk of infection of hospital patients wearing garments of such textiles, particularly patients undergoing surgery.
Because of the relatively poor water repellency of many flame resistant textiles, particularly flame resistant non-woven textiles, ways have been sought for imparting improved water repellency to such textiles without unduly diminishing their flame resistant properties. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,441,433 and 3,620,797, wherein textile materials have been treated with compositions containing both a flame retardant material and a water repellent material.
The problem with the use of such compositions, containing a water repellent material and a flame retardant material, is that, in general, the levels of flame resistance and water repellency achieved have been relatively low. In fact, the flame resistance and/or water repellency of non-woven textiles treated with heretofore available compositions have generally been considered inadequate for use in operating room garments and the like, where the dual requirements of flame resistance and water repellency have been relatively stringent.